Cooper DeJean is usually called a cornerback, but on the Eagles’ roster he’s just listed as a defensive back, and Philadelphia defensive coordinator Vic Fangio says DeJean could easily find himself getting more snaps at safety this season.
“We’d like to keep him at nickel, and then in our base package we’ll find a spot for him, either at corner or safety,” Fangio said of DeJean.
“A lot of it will end up depending on how the other guys develop and where we most need him. It will be determined by what’s best for him and what’s best for the team — and what’s best for the team will win out in that decision. But he’s capable of playing corner and he’s capable of playing safety.”
Fangio said DeJean has all the tools to play safety if that’s what the Eagles need him to do.
“I think he would play very well at safety. I think it suits his skill set, things that he does well. I just think he would do very well in there,” Fangio said.
Fangio said the media focus too much on the base defense, which isn’t even what the Eagles line up in most of the time, and said it’s not about whether you call DeJean a safety, a corner or a nickel, it’s about putting the 11 best players on the field and putting DeJean wherever the team needs him the most. Fangio mentioned wanting DeJean and the other players in the secondary to compete in the coming months.
“It’s going to take a training camp, a few preseason games to work that out,” Fangio said.
